Transformer valve



Feb. 3, 1959 c. A. DAVIS TRANSFORMER VALVE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 6,1955 Fig.|

INVENTQR. Charles A.Dc|v|s.

' AGENT.

Feb. 3, 1959 c. A. DAVIS TRANSFORMER VALVE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 6,1955 INVENTOR. -Ch0r|esA.Dovis.

AGENT.

TRANSFORMER VALVE Charles A. Davis, Mansfield, Ohio, assignor to TheOhio Brass Company, Mansfield, Ohio, a corporation of New JerseyApplication May 6, 1955, Serial No. 506,485

6 Claims. (Cl. 251-98) This invention relates to valves, and moreparticularly to valves for transformer cooling systems, e. g.transformer radiator valves.

In the art pertaining to transformers, it is usual, in order to increasethe power handling capacity of a given transformer, to enclose thetransformer in a large tank or casing which is then filled with oil. Theoil serves as a cooling medium and the tank is ordinarily provided withexternal radiators through which the oil circulates to increase the rateof dissipation of the heat produced by the operation of the transformer.

In the manufacture and installation of such transformers, it hasheretofore been found that substantial economies could be achieved byutilizing the transformer casing as a container for shipping the coolingoil rather than shipping the oil separately. However, since it wasnecessary to remove the radiators during shipment, it was also necessaryto provide some means for closing the connections from the transformercasing to the radiator in order that the radiator might be dismountedafter testing at the factory and reassembled at the place ofinstallation. The means adopted by the art for this purpose has been avalve mounted on the transformer tank or casing and to which theradiator is coupled when the transformer is installed in its place ofoperation. The

use of such valves, while possessing the advantages set 4 forth above,has, however, suffered certain objections. For example, the largenumbers of valves required for very large transformers increases thecost substantially, and it is essential that the valves be strong andrugged mechanically. I

I have, accordingly, devised a new and novel valve for use withtransformer tanks or casings and transformer radiators, which in a largemeasure overcomes the limi tations inherent in the valves of prior art.The construction of the valve is such that it is adapted for low costmanufacture from standard commercially available forms. Further,although of low cost construction, the valve is inherently rugged andhas the strength necessary for its intended application.

It is an important feature of the invention that the valve employs aninternal gasket which may be replaced from the outside of thetransformer casing by disconnecting the radiator from the valve. This isimportant, inasmuch as, in the event of an explosion, a completedisassembly of the transformer would otherwise be necessitated.

Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to provide asimple low cost valve which is adapted for use with transformer tanksand radiators.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a low cost valve fortransformer radiators and the like which may be manufactured fromstandard forms and with relatively simple manufacturing operations.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a valve fortransformer radiators and tanks in which the operating parts which aremost subject to wear are 2,872,153 Patented Feb. 3, 1959 readilyrenewable without disassembling or dismantling the valve from thetransformer tank.

The invention together with further features and advantages thereof willbe more readily apparent from a consideration of the following detailedspecification and claims taken in connection with the appended drawingsin which Fig. 1 is an overall view of the valve of the invention takenfrom the transformer end thereof;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the valve of the invention with a cut awayportion of a transformer casing showing the manner of mounting the valvein the casing;

Fig. 3 is a sectional View, slightly enlarged, taken in the direction3-3 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken in the direction 44 in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view of the flange end of the valve showingparticularly the flange construction and the manner of mounting theflange end gasket; and

Fig. 6 is a enlarged fragmentary view showing particularly theconstruction of the valve at the inner end thereof and the manner ofmounting the valve gasket.

Referring now to the drawings, the valve 10 of the invention comprises abody 11, a flange 12, a disc 13 and an operating mechanism 14. The valve10 is intended to be mounted in an opening in a transformer casing asshown, for example, in Pig. 2. The body 11 is received in an opening 15in the wall 16 of a transformer casing so that the valve disc 13 and theassociated end of the valve body project within the casing while thetransformer radiator (not-shown) is bolted to the flangel2. The body 11is attached to the wall 16 by means of two welded seams l7 and 18,extending around the periphery of the body on the interior and exteriorof the casing respectively. bolting the flange to a corresponding flangeon the transformer radiator.

Referring now to Figs. 3 and 4, the body member 11 comprises acylindrical piece having a reduced outer portion 21 at the flange endthereof. The flange 12 is fitted tightly over the reduced outer portion21, abutting the shoulder 23, and is attached to the body member 11 bymeans of a welded seam 24 which extends about the periphery of themember. The face 25 has a recess 26 therein for holding a gasket 27. Therecess 26 is formed partly in the flange l2 and partly in the bodymember 11 so that the gasket 27 overlaps the joint formed along theflange 12 and the reduced outer portion 21 of the body member to sealthe joint.

The remaining or inner end 28 of the body member 11 is formed with arecess 29 in the end face 30 thereof for receiving a gasket 31. Therecess 29 is undercut along its outer extremity to form an overhanginglipportion 32 for retaining the gasket in place. The disc 13 has amachined surface 33 along the inner periphery thereof for engaging thegasket 31 to produce an effective seal between the disc and the bodymember when the disc is in a closed position.

The disc 13 is supported by a stem 35 which extends along thelongitudinal axis of the body member 11 and is carried on two supportpieces 36 and 37. The construction of the support pieces 36 and 37 willbe apparent from Fig. 3 wherein the piece 37 is shown in end view. Thepiece comprises a flat elongated member having arcuately extended endportions 38 and 39 which engage the inside Wall of the body member 11along the" outer periphery 4t and 41 and abutt a shoulder 42 which Theflange 12 has four openings 19 for member 11 by two snap rings and 46and serve as bearings for the stem 35. The movement of the stem 35 andthe disc 13 is limited by a pin 47 which engages either of the supportpieces 36 and 37 at the extreme limits of the movement of the stem 35.

The stem 35. and the disc 13 are actuated by a shaft 50 which extendsthrough the body member 11 and carries the operating means 14 at theouter end thereof. The shaft 50 carries a pinion 51 which is held on theshaft by a pin 52 and engages a rack 53 (secured to the stem 35,). in alongitudinal groove 54. groove is of sufficient depth that the pinion 51of the shaft 56 is constrained against transverse movement.

The shaft 50 carries two cylindrical spacers 55 and 56 which abuttagainst the pinion 51 and extend outwardly into the shaft openings 57and 53 in the walls of the body member 11. The openings are sealed bypacking members 59 and '60 held by sleeves 61 and 62 and tightened inplace by nuts 63 and 64 which are screwed on the threaded end portionsof the shaft 50. It will be seen that since the shaft is held againsttransverse movement by the pinion 51 in the stem 35 that the packingmembers 59 and will remain properly engaged with the walls of the bodymember 11.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, the operating means 14comprises a collar 65 on the shaft 50, a pivoted link 66 and a detent67. The detent 67 comprises a block 68 which is secured to the flange 12by means of two machine screws 69 and 76. The block 68 is provided withtwo screws 71 and 72 for adjusting the limits of movement of the link66. Access to the screws 71 and 72 is had through an opening 73 in thelink 66.

In operation, the valve disc 13 and the operating means 14 are movedfrom the closed position shown in Fig. 2 by lifting the link 66outwardly in the direction away from the plane of the view rotating thelink in the shaft in a counter-wise direction and again lowering thelink so that the link bears against the screw 71. It will be apparentthat the operating mechanism of the valve is particularly advantageousfor its intended purpose, inasmuch as a relatively short and compactvalve body may be utilized, although the presence of the wall 16 of the.transformer casing limits the extent of rotation which may be had.

It is to be understood that the foregoing description is not intended torestrict the scope of the invention and that various rearrangements ofthe parts and modifica tions of the design may be resorted to, givingeffect to a liberal interpretation to the claims as herein set forth.

I claim:

1. A valve comprising a tubular body member, a reduced outer portion atone end thereof, a flange fitted over the reduced portion and a weldedseam joining the abutting portions of the flange of the body member, a

i Tire recess in the flange end face partly in the body memher andpartly in the flange and a gasket in the recess, a recess in the face ofthe remaining end of the body member and an overhanging lip and a gasketretained in the recess by the lip, a rigid valve disc outwardly of thesaid remaining end of the valve body and a valve stem supporting thedisc at the one end thereof and extending longitudinally into the bodymember, space supports for the stem comprising two pieces engaged withshoulders on the inside of the body member to hold the pieces on theadjacent sides thereof and snap rings on the outer sides of the piecesreceived in recesses in the body member for retaining the pieces, ashaft extending transversely through the tubular member, a longitudinalrecess in the stem and a rack on the stem in the recess and a pinion onthe shaft engaged with the rack and received in the longitudinal groovefor holding the shaft against transverse movement, sealing membersbetween the shaft and the body member and sleeves on the shaft abuttingthe pinion for holding the packing longitudinally of the shaft andthreaded means on the shaft outside of A the body member for compressingthe packing between the shaft and the body member and operating means onthe shaft outside the tubular member for turning the shaft to move thedisc toward and away from the said remaining end of the body member.

2. A valve comprising a tubular body member, a flange disposed about thebody member at one end thereof, a valve stem extending longitudinallywithin the body member, removable support means for the stem comprisingtwo separate longitudinally spaced support pieces and means for holdingthe support pieces on the inside of the body member, a rigid valve discon one end of the stem exteriorly of the valve body to cooperate with aface on the remaining end of the body member, a shaft extendingtransversely through the body member and a pinion secured to the shaft,a longitudinal recess in the stem and a rack secured to the stem withthe pinion engaging the rack and received in the recess in the stem forholding the shaft against transverse movement, sealing means between theshaft and the body member comprising a tubular sleeve on the shaftabutting the pinion at one end and terminating within the wall of thebody member at the other end, a cylindrical packing between the shaftand the wall of the body member and a sleeve extending from within thewall of the body member toward an end of the shaft and a nut threaded onthe shaft and compressing the packing between the two sleeves, andoperating means on the shaft outside the body member for turning theshaft to move the disc toward and away from the said remaining end ofthe body member to close and open the valve.

3. A transformer radiator valve of the type having a tubular body with aflange disposed about the body at one end thereof, in which the valvemay be disassembled from the flanged end thereof, comprising, a valvestem extending longitudinally within the body, a rigid valve disc on anend of said stem exteriorly of the said body with the disc extendingoutwardly to cooperate with a face on the remaining end of said body,gasket means for sealing the juncture of the valve disc with the face ofthe body, a circumferentially extending inwardly projecting part on theinterior of the body constituting shoulders at the longitudinalextremities thereof, removable support means for the stem comprising twoelongated pieces, each having a central opening with the stem receivedtherein, with arcuate portions engaged with the interior of the body andwith the said shoulders, snap rings on the outer sides of the supportpieces received in recesses in the body for removably retaining thepieces, a shaft extending through the body transversely of the stem anda sleeve extending along the shaft between the shaft and the body forholding the shaft, an annular packing engaged with the shaft and an endof the sleeve and screw means on the shaft for compressively holding thepacking, a rack on the stem and a pinion on the shaft engaged with therack for operatively actuating the stem, a pin removably securing thepinion to the shaft, and operating means on the shaft outside the bodyfor turning the shaft to move the disc toward and away from the body toclose and open the valve.

4. A transformer radiator valve of the type having a tubular body with aflange disposed about the body at one end thereof, in which the valvemay be disassembled from the flanged end thereof, comprising, a valvestem extending longitudinally within the body, a rigid vaive disc on anend of said stem exteriorly of the said body with the disc extendingoutwardly to cooperate with a face on the remaining end of said body,gasket means for sealing the juncture of the valve disc with the face ofthe body, a circumferentially extending inwardly projecting part on theinterior of the body constituting shoulders at the longitudinalextremities thereof, removable support means for the stem comprising twoelongated pieces, each having a central opening with the stem receivedtherein, with arcuate end portions engaged with the interior of the bodyand with the said shoulders, snap rings on the outer sides of thesupport pieces received in recesses in the body member for removablyretaining the pieces, a shaft extending transversely through the bodyand a pinion on the shaft with removable pin means securing the pinionto the shaft, a longitudinal recess in the stem and a rack secured tothe stem with a pinion engaging the rack and received in the recess inthe stem for holding the shaft against transverse movement, sealingmeans between the shaft and the body member comprising a tubular sleeveon the shaft abutting the pinion at one end and terminating Within thewall of the body at the other end, a packing between the shaft and thewall of the body, and a sleeve extending from within the wall of thebody toward an end of the shaft and threaded means on the shaft forcompressing the packing between the two sleeves and for holding theshaft, and operating means on the shaft outside the body member forturning the shaft to move the disc toward and away from the body toclose and open the valve.

5. The invention in accordance with claim 4 in which the shaft extendsthrough the body closely adjacent the transformer casing and in whichthe said operating means comprises a collar on the shaft, a link pivotedon the collar, a detent block mounted on the flange and in normalalignment with the link for holding the shaft and disc in either of twofixed positions, the link being transverse- 1y movable out of alignmentwith the block to turn the shaft, and screw means carried by the detentblock and engaged by the link for compressively holding the valve discin a closed position.

6. A transformer radiator valve of the type having a tubular body with aflange disposed about the body at one end thereof, in which the valvemay be disassembled from the flanged end thereof, comprising, a valvestem extending longitudinally within the body, a rigid valve disc on anend of said stem exteriorly of the said body with the disc extendingoutwardly .to cooperate with the end face of the body, gasket means forsealing the juncture of the valve disc with a face on the remaining endof said body, an inwardly projecting part circumferentially about theinterior of the body constituting shoulders at the longitudinalextremities thereof, removable support means for the stern comprisingtwo pieces, each having a central opening with the stem receivedtherein, with portions thereof engaged with the interior of the body andwith the said shoulders, snap rings on the outer sides of the supportpieces received in recesses in the body member for removably retainingthe pieces, a shaft extending transversely through the body and a pinionon the shaft with removable pin means securing the pinion to the shaft,a longitudinal recess in the stem and a rack secured to the stem with apinion engaging the rack and received in the recess in the stem forholding the shaft against transverse movement, sealing means between theshaft and the body member comprising a tubular sleeve on the shaftabutting the pinion at one end and terminating within the wall of thebody at the other end, a pack ing between the shaft and the wall of thebody, and a sleeve extending from within the wall of the body toward anend of the shaft and threaded means on the shaft for compressing thepacking between the two sleeves and for holding the shaft, and operatingmeans on the shaft outside the body member for turning the shaft to movethe disc toward and away from the body to close and open the valve.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS149,491 Lunkenheimer Apr. 7, 1874 960,695 Petro June 7, 1910 2,114,961Gille Apr. 19, 1938 2,196,977 Campbell Apr. 16, 1940 2,347,676 EplettMay 2, 1944 2,403,751 Palmer July 9, 1946 2,548,368 Hartley Apr. 10,1951 2,570,787 Gammeter Oct. 9, 1951 2,693,825 Carr Nov. 9, 19542,778,391 Muller Jan. 22, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 344,223 Italy Oct. 29,1936

